I use a small cat carrier, but when we moved from FL back to WI we had a small cage for my amazon, with perches, and a small dog carrier for my ringneck, with perches. Also... They didn't appear to be stressed from the journey.
I use a small cat carrier lined with a towel for my GCC also. I read somewhere (probably here) that somebody had used a cat carrier, and drilled a small hole in the side to be able to attach a perch inside.
I used a cat carrier for when I transported my cockatoo on a few hours worth of journey, we didn't put any perches in it, but we could have done as it had 'breathing slots' in the sides which we could have put perches in, if it was a smaller bird. But because of the size of him. We just put towels in, food and water and some toys for him to preen/chew. He enjoyed the journey.
Yep I use small cat carriers reconverted by me with those perches that have a screw and bolt end and I put one of those into one of the air holes on the side . They were never stressed by the move and I have moved cross country several times .
Check out the Celltei Pak-o-Bird backpack. I'm going to get one of these! They get exceptional reviews - sturdy frame, stainless steel mesh plus shade covers, a perch that can be placed in various heights, stainless steel bowls, optional zipper guard for chewers, made in USA, can be used as a backpack, frontpack, sidepack, or secured to a car seat during travelling! Expensive but worth the investment and works as a multi purpose travel cage for trips/vet and a backpack to bring your bird for walks and such.
Taco: female cinnamon pearl cockatiel - hatched: ~September 2013, Gotcha date: Nov 29th, 2013
Tiki: Male yellow-sided green cheek conure - hatched April 10th, 2015, Gotcha date May 24, 2015
I second the kings travel cage - medium. We have this and although it is pricer than a cat carrier I think it would be useful to use it to go on vacation or just to get some sun on the deck.
I also have the Pak-O-Bird. It's a big investment, though, so it depends on if you take your bird out and about a lot (or want to). The other cheaper options here will probably work just fine for the purposes of a single trip.
Whatever carrier you use, I recommend let your bird acclimate to it for a bit before the trip, wander in and out when he's playing, and maybe take him out on shorter drives before hand to get a sense of how he handles it. You want him to see the carrier as something familiar, as his shelter from a new and possibly unwelcome experience, rather than as somewhere he's trapped that's part and parcel of the newness.
We did this prior to taking Foggy to the vet for the first time, and it went really smoothly--instead of having to fight him to get in the carrier when he was already upset by being handled by strangers and having blood taken, he scampered in there on his own to hide and sulk. If your bird gets loose in the car, you want him to WANT to get back in the carrier where it's safe.
I have both the Pak-O-Bird and the small King's aluminum travel cage for my birds. They are both excellent. However, the birds never needed to be acclimated to the King's cage, and will go into it without a fuss because it looks like a regular cage. The Pak-O-Bird required a bit of training before they were comfortable with it.
I was actually wondering the same thing. Weāre in process of going to Canada in the summer and the drive from Texas will be long. We have to take a ferry trip to get where we are going thatās over 12 hours and they have rules for the type of carriers allowed to have pets kept In kennel on deck(thereās no way Iām leaving our feathered boy in car with all the fumes!) No metal carriers...so will check out what everyone mentioned here.
I have a backpack carrier (itās actually advertised for cats) that I ordered on Amazon that works great for our birds for taking them out around. Our cockatiels seem like they have lots of space. Our double yellow headed Amazon is still young (8 months) and is getting kind of big for it to be in it for too long now but loves it, actually hops right in when I ask him if he wants to go in the car. Best part is I can hook it up onto the headrest in my car so they can see out when Iām driving. Seems like they feel more relaxed when they can see out. Iāve had my cockatiels in it for longer periods of time(not together) putting perches and toys in. It wasnāt very expensive. Under $30 and has been far more easier to carry around than the dog carrier also great for walks. I always take one of them out in it on trips to petsmart. Iāll include a photo cause itās a really awesome carrier, and perfect for rides in the car. Saves space also.